Tekin Kartal

Tekin Kartal was born in 1990 in Kulp, Turkey.^[1][2] His birth name is İlmettin Aytekin and his family is of Kurdish origin.^[3][4]

In his early 20s, he emigrated to Germany in poverty.^[5] There he met Nizamettin Baybaşin, the key figure who would change his life, and established close ties with the Baybaşin family.^[6] He was also in close contact with Abdullah Baybaşin, the leader of the family.^[6]

Kartal, who also held German citizenship,^[7][8] flew from Düsseldorf to Barcelona to settle a dispute in the last days of April 2024.^[2]

On 4 May 2024, he was assassinated by an unknown masked hitman near the El Maresme–Fòrum metro station in Barcelona.^[9][10] The attacker escaped and an autopsy revealed five bullet wounds to Kartal's head and neck.^[11]

Following the assassination of Tekin Kartal, the Turkish media reported on possible retaliation by the Baybaşin family against their rivals.^[12]